The present invention is directed to an injection molding apparatus. Specifically, the injection molding apparatus is constructed to permit the injector to introduce molding material into a mold along either a vertical mold line or a horizontal mold line.
Injection molding machines for injecting molding materials into molds are well known in the manufacturing industry. The injection molding machine is designed to inject the molding material into an associated mold. The injection direction occurs in either the horizontal direction or the vertical direction, the direction being determined by the construction of the machine. The mold to be used in combination with the injection machine is designed to coordinate with the injection direction of the machine.
However, it is not always possible for the mold configuration to coordinate with the injection direction of the machine. Due to the mass and weight of the injection molding machine and the relatively greater ease of modifying the mold, in such circumstances, modifications are made to the mold. Such modifications usually include providing additional flow channels to the mold, thereby increasing the distance the molding material must travel before entering the mold. Increasing the distance between the injection nozzle and the mold cavity is not always desirable depending upon the molding material cure characteristics.
The present invention is directed to an injection molding machine permitting movement of the injection molding machine in multiple planes.
The disclosed apparatus has a frame and an injection molding machine mounted within the frame. Located on both the frame and the injection molding machine are a plurality of interlocking rails and rail bearings. The movement of the rails in the rail bearings permits the injection molding machine to move relative to the frame.
The frame in which the molding machine is mounted is a two piece frame. The two frame structures are interlocking and are also capable of movement relative to each other.
In one aspect of the disclosed invention, the injection molding machine is moveably mounted within a first of the two interlocking frame structures. The first frame structure is moveably mounted within the second frame structure. The movement of the injection molding machine within the first frame structure differs from the movement of the first frame structure within the second frame structure. If the injection molding machine moves in a vertical direction within the first frame structure, then the first frame structure moves in a horizontal direction within the second frame structure.
In another aspect of the invention, the apparatus has at least one power means to move the injection molding machine in the desired direction of movement. The power means is a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.
In another aspect of the invention, the injection molding machine has an injection nozzle and an injection extension block is mounted onto the injection nozzle. The injection extension block has a bent flow channel within it so that any material flowing out of the injection nozzle exits the extension block in a different plane than it entered the extension block.